Spicy recipes to help warm you up from the cold snow

January 25, 2012

We finally have snow! I know that most people would disagree with my excitement but I really like snow. I like going outside and playing in it.

I also love the way it looks. Everything looks so beautiful covered in snow.

The one thing that doesn't look beautiful covered in snow though is the cows. The cows will drag their tails through the snow and it will build up into a ball. Then when they come into the barn, they like to swing their tails and hit you with the giant ice ball that has formed on their switch.

A switch is the very end of a cows' tail. That is why farmers always make sure that their cows have shelter. They can come in out of the cold and snow that way they do not get sick.

Our cows have three different places where they can get in out of the weather, they just choose not to for some odd reason.

I guess they like the snow too!

This week Mandy and I got to do something very different from anything we have ever done. We got to dog-sit for one of our dear friends. He was leaving the area for a few days and he needed someone to stay at his house to take care of his dog. We stayed at his house from Monday until today. His dog, Charlotte, was a very good dog. She was very playful and was very easy to watch.

Mandy and I also had a fun time staying by ourselves away from home. This was a great way to see if I could make it on my own before I go to college next year.

This week was also many weird "holidays." There is National Butter Crunch Day, National Popcorn Day and National Eskimo Pie day.

On the 16th, it was International Hot and Spicy food day, which I missed so I thought that this week I would use hot and spicy recipes to make up for it.

These recipes are sure to get you going. They are hot and definitely spicy and the best thing to drink when your mouth is on fire is milk. The fat content in the milk helps to cut the heat of your favorite spicy food.

Buffalo Style Burgers

1 pound ground beef

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) can Campbell's tomato soup

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

4 hamburger buns rolls, split and toasted

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Shape beef into four patties about 1/2 inch thick. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook patties until browned. Set patties aside. Pour off fat. Add soup and hot pepper sauce. Heat to a boil. Return patties to pan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until patties are no longer pink. Place patties on 4 roll halves. Top with blue cheese and remaining roll halves.

Southwestern Chicken

and Pepper Wraps

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 medium red pepper, cut into strips

1 medium green pepper, cut into strips

1 small onion sliced

1 can Campbell's golden mushroom soup

1 cup water

1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup uncooked instant rice

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 cup Mexican style shredded cheese

8 flour tortillas (8 inches)

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat half of the oil. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes or until no longer pink and juices evaporate, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil. Add peppers and onion and cook until tender-crisp, stirring often. Add soup, water, and beans. Heat to a boil then stir in rice. Add hot pepper sauce, cover and remove from heat. Spoon 3/4 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese over top and fold tortilla around filling.

Beef Taco Skillet

1 pound ground beef

1 can tomato soup

1 cup chunky hot salsa

1/2 cup water

8 flour tortillas cut into 1-in. pieces

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook beef in skillet until browned. Pour off fat. Add soup, salsa, water, tortillas and half the cheese. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until hot. Top with remaining cheese.